The mark of Cain
by gilcrust
Summary: I love lots of things poetry, comics, music, but I'm only in love with one thing. Her name is Delilah Fray. Who better to love me in death, or rather undeath, than the person who has loved me all my life. My name is Simon Lewis, I'm a vampire, and this is my diary...wow that's strange to say.
1. Chapter 1

Delilah finds herself utterly exhausted not even bothering to remove her jeans before falling back into bed. The small Manhattan apartment felt too quiet and somehow too big in the absence of Simon. Huffing loudly she ran her left hand through her long blonde curls before glancing down at the ring on her third finger. It sparkled brightly in the dim light of her new bedroom and the silver band beneath it contained much smaller diamonds that still managed to glisten. Simon did well she smiled down at her wedding rings adoringly. Her managed to push herself from the middle of the bed so that she lie on her side of the bed, her blue eyes had been closed for only a moment when she heard the front door open. Her husband entered the room wearing a different top than when he'd left. They'd been together since they were four, long enough that she could tell just by his footsteps when he was upset. Carrying a black trash bag over one shoulder he placed it against the far corner of the room. "Hey specs." She says, even without his glasses that's still his nickname, short for the spectacles that framed his face until recently.

"Hey baby." He replied in a tired voice, more than physically tired he sounded emotionally drained.

"What's in the bag? Human corpse?" His wife teased causing Simon to cringe but he forced out a chuckle instead. "No just stuff from my mom's house."

"Oh I wish you'd told me you were going I would have come, I haven't seen her since the wedding."

It's better that you didn't. He thought, his mother had been a bit cold to her after their wedding had been quick and at a courthouse and not in a synagogue. Mainly because he couldn't step foot in one but they had told his mom it was because Delilah was a devout Christian which wasn't a lie but it's not like they could have told Eliane the real reason. In truth the Delilah wouldn't have minded being married by someone of his faith, she would do anything for Simon and that was something he knew well. "Did you have a fight?" Asked the blonde taking in his grim expression.

"Something like that." He tried to smile at her.

"You know you can tell me." She assured him.

I don't want to tell you Lilah, my own mother thinks that I'm a monster, so I used my vampire abilities to make her forget what I'd told her and about the blood she'd found in my mini fridge. "I just want to be with you." He murmured, his eyes pleading with her not to argue.

"Ok." She grinned stretching her arms out for him. He crawled atop her at vampire speed and buried his head in the crook of her neck nuzzling slightly. "Are you hungry?" She wondered stroking the curls at the nape of his neck. After the events of the past week the thought of giving himself the pleasure of her blood made him feel more cursed than ever.

"What." She pulled him back and looked up at him, her pink cheeks dimpling.

"I need...you." He felt the tears pickling in his eyes but made no attempt to keep them from spilling over.

"Simon you have me. In every possible way you could want me or need me." Her manicured fingers caressing his face. He pulled himself off of her and sat next to her with his back against the headboard.

"I don't deserve you, I never have but even more so now, with what I've become."

She sighed, "please." She began ,her perfectly shaped eyebrows pulling together forming a deep set line in the center which was much more prominent than it should have been on her flawless eighteen year old face. "Listen."

"I am listening." Simon muttered with disinterest.

"What happened to you didn't change the person you are. You are gentle, caring, and sweet. Anything evil doesn't love, they only care about what people can give them. You are the most selfless person I know."

"That you knew." He shakes his head. "I'm not that guy anymore." He watched with a grave expression as Delilah sat up quickly staring at him for a moment as if she was really seeing him for the first time in months.

"You don't care what I say, how much I scream, or beg, or cry, your mind is made up about yourself and there is nothing I do to change it because you may listen to me talk but you don't hear me, not really, not in the way that changes anything. I've tried to be supportive because I can't imagine what you're going through but if you love me at all you would try and I mean really try to accept who and what you are because I love who you are." She closed her eyes and swallowed hard. She could feel his gaze on her but she didn't care she was exhausted and done trying.

"Look at me." Simon begged. "Angel please." He turned her head gently to face him but she still kept her eyes shut. In a last ditch effort he leaned in and kissed her. Trying to convey his anguish, frustration, and love. After a moment she began to kiss him back unable to contain the sobs that bubbled from her chest which heaved rapidly. "I do love you, more than anything in this world and I am trying to accept new life. You have been wonderful , loving me every step of the way. I want to make you happy, to make you proud of the man I am."

"I_ am_ proud of you." She cut him off .

"I know and what I'm really trying to say is that I'm sorry for all of this. For being so emo and for not hearing you, for not treating you like you deserve to be treated, for feeding from you, for not being able to share everything with you the way I used to."

"As long as you're willing to try I'll be right here with you."

His lips crashed back down to her full pink ones, his fangs picked down from the top of his gums as she moved to straddle his lap. One hand cupped her ass squeezing and kneading desperately while the other rested on the back of her neck holding her to him. Her fingers tangled into his dark curls as they continued to mash their mouths together. Removing his shirt she kissed his pale shoulder with so much adoration Simon was sure that in her eyes he was the angel.

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When Simon was sure that his wife was asleep he crept out from the bed and into the living room. Sitting down at kitchen table with a pen and pad of paper he began to write. **When god created Delilah I'm almost sure he never intended for any man to have her, she was just that perfect. Anything that beautiful was meant only for the angels and The Lord himself but now someone did have her and that someone was me. Delilah if I ever made you question even for a moment that I loved you I am truly sorry for that, more sorry than I am about anything else I've put you through because that was all you ever asked me to do, love you. "As long as you love me nothing else will matter," you would say but other things did start to matter. That's why I'm writing this for you and anyone else who wants to know. Someone is after me and I have a feeling they won't stop until I'm dead but I want you to know everything. I guess I should start at the beginning but that would take too long so I'll start from the day you started seeing things that I couldn't, the first time something happened to you that I didn't understand.**

_"I'm approaching your door in 3,2,1." Simon counted into the phone. When he reached one the door swung open and there she was. _

_"Simon!" Lilah sang her golden hair in a messy bun with pieces falling out onto either side of her heart shaped face. _

_"Simon!" Repeats her younger sister Clary, her mother Jocelyn, and Luke who is flipping pancakes at the stove. _

_"Come in and sit, you're just in time for dinner." Jocelyn smiled placing one of the plates on the table before Clary._

_"Oh yum breakfast for dinner." Scott, Simon's younger brother rejoices joining Clary at the table. His love for her was clear as day to everyone but Clary who thought of Scott only as a brother. _

_"Yeah, these pancakes are amazing Luke." Clary praises shoveling another forkful into her mouth tossing her red tendrils over her shoulder. _

_"Of course they are, I made them." Luke muses. _

_"Almost ready for Eric's poetry reading?" Simon asks Delilah kissing her pink cheek._

_"Yeah I just have to change." _

_"What's wrong with what you have on?" Her mother wonders._

_"Nothing. I just want to wear something a little dressier." She says causing her mother to arch an auburn eyebrow. "Don't worry mom it's just a poetry reading besides what fun can I have? Clary and Scott are coming with."_

_"Hey!" The younger siblings protest._

_"Alright alright, but come right home after." Her mother sighs._

_"I will." Her oldest daughter lies knowing full well what the four of them have planned for Clary's birthday. "Hey before I eat I wanted to show you this cool logo I've been playing with for the band." _

_"Ok well go get it." Simon grins affectionately down at the blonde, when she saunters off he takes a seat at the table in his usual spot. Soon after Jocelyn and Luke take their respective places leaving only the seat to the left of him empty. _

_"What do you think?" The 17 year old asks returning to the dining room with her sketch book proudly on display. _

_"Who's J.C.?" Simon wonders running his fingers over the letters. Jocelyn's small choke of shock goes unnoticed by everyone but Luke who exchanges a meaningful look with her. _

_"I don't know but I was talking about the symbol in the middle." Lilah points out._

_"Oh yeah that is cool." The other 17 year old agrees pleasing Delilah to no end. "Where'd it come from?"_

_"I'm not really sure." She shrugs in response._

_"That's my design I've been drawing it for two days." Clary adds._

_"You have?" _

_"Yeah." _

_"That must have been where I saw it then, is it ok if we use it for the band?"_

_"Sure." The redhead nods._

_"Alright enough show and tell, eat your pancakes so we can get going." Simon insists closing the book and setting it aside. Lilah plops down beside him and begins cutting up her food._

_"So mom did I tell you Java Jones is hiring? Simon says if I put in an application he can put in a good word for me with his boss."_

_"I hardly think that's a good idea." Her mother shakes her head._

_"Why not?"_

_"Because you'd never get any work done." Jocelyn chuckles trying to lighten the mood when she sees her eldest daughters face drop. Delilah rolls her blue eyes that reminded Jocelyn so much of the girl's father. _

_"We have chemistry together." Simon argues._

_"The only reason she passes that class is because you let her copy your work." _

_"No I tutor her."_

_"He sure does." Scott wiggles his eyebrows suggestively. _

_"Oh come on guys don't be gross." Clary fake gags. _

_There's something almost curious about the blonde who looks like she could walk the runway and the dark curly haired anime nerd with the spectacles, I guess that's what they meant when people refer to opposites attracting. Lilah never paid much attention to the advances of other boys Simon has always been the one, she loved his thoughtfulness and sense of humor it also didn't hurt that she found him highly attractive. So attractive that even at dinner with her entire family she couldn't help her mind from wandering to the more intimate moments they'd shared not even a day before. Not that things were much different for Simon who adored the ground she walks on. He'd never been in awe of anything the way he was with her. He loved every hair on her head, knew every mole, freckle, and birthmark that complemented her pale skin by heart. _

_._

_._

_._

_._

_By the time the four of them make it to Java Jones Eric had already begun his poetry reading and they struggled to locate seats for a moment before finally agreeing to sit separately. Clary and Scott taking a table near the front center while Delilah and Simon took purchase on the tiny loveseat in the left dimly lit corner. "You want some coffee?" Simon asks._

_"Yeah coffee would be good." She nods with a tight smile. Delilah Fray would follow Simon to the ends of the earth, even to another one of Eric's poetry readings which was the last place she wanted to be. _

_"Dimples if you really don't want to be here you can go and I'll catch up with you guys later." Simon offered._

_"No! I can't leave you here by yourself it's inhumane."_

_"I guess." He grins down at her, stroking the top of her blonde head before walking over to the counter to order their drinks. "One large black coffee and one large white chocolate mocha oh and a blueberry muffin."_

_"Comin' right up man." Said the dark haired boy behind the counter. "That your girlfriend?" He asked try to make unnecessary small talk._

_"Yeah." Simon replied sneaking a glance at Delilah._

_"Daaamn."_

_"I know." Simon can't help but smile and shake his head before retrieving the refreshments and returning to his seat. _

_"Oh muffin, gimmie." He hardly had time to protest before Lilah's had snatched it from him._

_"Lucky I'm such a nice boyfriend." He teases draping his arm over her shoulder._

_"Insanely lucky." She agrees._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_Lilah and Simon are swaying slowly to the hypnotic music turning their hips in slow circles and breathing heavily into each other's ears. But as usual they don't notice anyone else, like they're the only two people in the world. Scott and Clary also vanishing into the crowd around them. A new song began and Delilah spun to face away from him, her back pressed firmly to his front. _

_"I think Scott's going to ask Clary on a date." Simon shouted in his girlfriends' ear above the hum of the music._

_"Oh yeah?"_

_"He finally said that-" He keeps talking but Delilah is no longer listening, too fascinated by the girl with long black hair and a white lace dress that covered almost all of her skin. She was approaching the guy who got us into the club. Suddenly she's not alone as two other boys appear beside her both wearing black. Her silver serpent bracelet appears to take on a life of its own slithering down her arms and onto the floor wrapping itself around the boy's ankles as the blonde guy removes something shimmering and nearly translucent from his jacket, he holds it up to the blue haired boy appearing to ask him a question but she couldn't quite make out the words, before stabbing it into his abdomen. Jet black liquid poured from the wound as the boy fell to the ground screaming and writhing. The blonde couldn't help the sound of sheer terror that escapes. "What's wrong?" Simon asks alarmed shaking her slightly. Didn't he see? How could he have missed it? She wondered._

_"Baby, you're ok I've got you I'm right here shhh shhh." Simon pulls her to his chest stroking her hair comfortingly._

_"You didn't see that boy stab him?"_

_"Stab who?"_

_"The guy who got us into the club!"_

_"Nobody stabbed anyone or everybody would have seen. We were dancing and then you and Clary just lost it." He holds Delilah at arm's length examining her face carefully. "Did you drink something? Maybe someone put something in it."_

_"I didn't drink anything Simon you have to believe me." She cries in complete hysterics._

_"I believe you Lilah just breathe. Sometimes clubs pump stuff into the air vents to make sure people have a good time."_

_"Oh? So how did we manage to breathe different air when we were practically on top of each other?" She snaps pulling away from him and plopping down on the curb rubbing her temples furiously. I know what I saw and I know what Clary saw. If it was a hulucenaltion why would we both see the same thing? She wondered._

_"Deli." Simon comes to sit beside her. "If that's what you saw I believe you, I don't know why I didn't see it. I'll go back in there right now and look around if you want me to."_

_"No please don't leave me." Delilah grabs his forearm._

_"Ok." He wraps an arm around her planting a kiss on the blonde's clammy forehead. "I won't leave. Let's get in the cab and go home. Clary and Scott already left."_

_"No, no I don't wanna sleep alone please come home with me." She begs._

_"Ok I'll call my mom." He opens the door for Delilah and she slides across the cool leather of the back seat. "Hey Ma-"_

_"No I'm fine I just wanted to tell you I'm staying the night at Lilah's house-" He pauses once."Yes on the couch-" And then again. "No funny business." He rolls his eyes."Alright I'll see you tomorrow Ma. I love you." He hangs up._

_"No funny business huh." _

_"On the living room couch where your mom might walk by any minutes and suspend my sleepover privileges until we're married? I think I'll have to pass." He chuckles._

_"So now were definitely getting married?"_

_"I thought that was the plan."_

_"Oh yeah the ten year plan."_

_"What's wrong with the plan? Have our own house by eighteen, married at twenty, go to college and then kids by twenty five. I'll be an accountant while you do hair everybody wins, even the kids and our dog which if you ask me sounds like a pretty good plan to me."_

_"It's is Simon it's a great plan but-"_

_"But what?"_

_"I just worry."_

_"About what?"_

_"What happens if I found out I was pregnant tomorrow? What if I decide I don't want to be a hairdresser? What if you get hit by a car and lose your memory? If something doesn't go as planned we don't have any other plan."_

_"What the hell are you a doomsday prepper?" He laughs but Delilah's face is stern and set with worry. "If everything changed tomorrow then we would make a new plan. The only thing that's really important about the plan is us being together, everything else is just details. Right?"_

_"Right." She sighs shaking her head. "I'm just being stupid." _

_"Not stupid, nothing that crosses your mind is stupid." _

_"How are you so good at that?" _

_"What?"_

_"Knowing exactly what to say to me?"_

_"I just know you, like the back of my hand. I think it's fair to say I'm smitten by you, maybe even to the point of obsession. I started studying you when I was four years old and I just never stopped."_

_"I should have studied you better." She admits._

_"I think you did just fine."_

"Simon?" Delilah says softly, emerging from the bedroom just the way he'd left her, naked as the day she was born except for a pair of neon pink knee length socks.

"Hey Dimples. Did I wake you?" He asks shoving the papers into the waist band of his boxers.

"I um…had a nightmare." She admits rubbing her hands together. "And then I woke up and you weren't there."

"I'm sorry." He murmurs sympathetically but not surprised. Ever since they'd gotten back from Idris, after death of Valentine and Sebastian or Jonathan, Delilah hasn't been the same. "I hate them just as much if not more than I ever loved them." He couldn't exactly blame her but after hearing the stories about how her father would lift her up and spin her around. His little princess, as he'd called her when she was a child and till the day he died, Simon couldn't help but feel that at one time he truly loved her. There was of course also the shock of finding out that her father had given her mother demon blood while she and her brother were in her womb. "If it weren't for the way my mother loved me I would have been like that. Just like Sebastian." She'd said and the thought nearly destroyed her. But it was true if her mother hadn't seen the humanity in Delilah that her son lacked she wouldn't have never taken her with when she left Valentine. Then there was the angel blood that she'd ingested completely accidently, Valentine had meant it for Jocelyn never guessing his daughter might have come along behind her mother and picked at her left overs.

"It's ok." Delilah shrugged suddenly looking very small.

"Do you want me to come back to bed with you?"

"No I want to stay up for a while."

"Come here." Simon motioned to her patting his lap invitingly.

"I should put some clothes on." She remarks curling up in his lap.

"Say who?" Simon laughs kissing the top of her blonde head.

"Says me." She replies and it suddenly occurred to him that the reason she didn't bother to put on clothes was because she had been so desperate to find him.

"Alright well you go do that and I'll make you some nachos." Simon said and Delilah began worrying at her bottom lip. She didn't want to leave him even for a second, just long enough to put on a pair of pajamas. "With guacamole." He baited her.

"Fine." She sighs getting to her feet.

"Good girl." He grins slapping her butt and watching her delicate feet pad back into the bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

"Maybe you could just flash your fangs once. Chicks go crazy for that stuff." Eric says as the band huddled around in his garage for what they called 'practice' but we mostly just the boys eating pizza and changing band names on rare occasion picking up their instruments.

"If I did that the head of the New York vampire clan would slaughter you and besides I'm a married man now I'm not interested in 'chicks.'" Simon countered resting his back against the tall black speaker Delilah was perched on beside Clary. "And Scott's got his hands full already with Maia and Isabel."

"Well we can't all be as lucky can we and it's not like you've ever been interested in chicks I swear you're like Delilahsexual." Eric snarked.

"Delilahsexual?"

"Yeah it's almost like asexual but just for one person. I bet you never even watched porn and like it." Eric taunted.

"Your friends are idiots." Delilah laughed leaning close to Simon's ear.

"Really?" He chuckled. "I haven't noticed."

Just then the garage door swung open Simon's eyes adjusted immediately and Delilah's back straightened. She shot a look at Scott, he's a werewolf, she thought willing him to understand. I know, his eyes seemed to say in return. Of course he knew, werewolves can smell each other. The boy standing in the door had dark hair and eyes. She'd be lying to say he wasn't attractive but definitely not her type. Maybe she was Simonsexual. "Someone you know?" She asked Scott aloud.

"No." His shoulders tensed but Simon didn't seem to notice their conversation. He could be rogue, she thought her fingers playing with the dagger at her back.

"Are you guys the band 'Dangerous Stain?'" Asked the boy standing in the door way and Delilah relaxed slightly letting her hands fall back to her sides.

"We're Dichotomous Lemur now." Eric corrected. "Who wants to know?"

"I'm Kyle. I saw you were looking for a lead singer?" Said Kyle holding up the flyer uncertainty.

"Wow." Matt said. "We put that flyer up over a year ago we completely forgot about it."

"Yeah we were doing some different stuff back then now we mostly switch off on vocals and if we really need someone we beg Lilah." Eric told him. And Delilah jumped off the speaker her boots hitting the ground soundlessly. "Are you experienced?"

"Not really but I'm told I can sing." Kyle shrugged.

"Can you now?" Delilah purred approaching him. "I'm Delilah, occasional lead singer and the bass player's wife. Walk with me." She linked her arm through one of his. No one said a word as she escorted him back outside. When it came to men and getting them to bend to your will Delilah was an incredible asset to any arsenal but Simon didn't quite understand why she was so eager to get this guy alone. When they reached the alley about a block from Eric's house and out of Simon's ear shot she stopped leaning against the brick wall behind her. "So do you wanna tell me what you're really doing here?" She accused.

"Look lady I just want to audition for the band-"

"Cut the shit." She sneered flicking the sliver pendant that hung around his neck. "Praetor Lupus."

"My mother has Lupus. You know the disease." He said indignantly.

"My step father is a werewolf. I can smell it on you so I'll ask you again. What are you doing here?" She pulled the dagger out holding it between them.

"Easy, shadow hunters have an alliance with downworlders."

"Not rogue downworlders." She reminded him.

"Isn't that what your husband is technically? He's not part of any clan so Simon is, by definition, rogue. Is he not?"

"Listen smart ass either tell me what you're doing here or I'll-"

"I'm here because Simon Lewis is my charge. I'm supposed to look after him, give him advice, and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

"Well I think I have that covered thanks." Delilah left him in the alley and began to walk back to Eric's.

"I'm also here for Scott." She paused turning back to him.

"Listen I don't know where you're getting your information from but I don't need your help. Simon and Scotty my responsibility I made them what they are and I take care of them."

"So let me get this straight, not only are you a shadow hunter but a vampire and a werewolf as well, who personally turned them both. I find that incredible. Maybe a little too incredible even for Valentine's daughter."

"I may not have bitten them but I'm part of the reason they were changed I'm the one who made the decision to have Simon rise again. I buried him, in the ground with my own two hands."

"I'm sure that's true but what makes you think you're equipped to understand what they're going through?"

"I understand what it's like to think you're one person all your life and then one day find out that you're not. You're someone, something completely different that you don't know or understand. I do know what that's like, I know it doesn't feel fucking good and it isn't fucking easy. I don't need your help in understanding that."

"Listen, we got off on the wrong foot. I shouldn't have said that because you're right I don't know you besides what I've read about you in Simon's file but you don't know me either. I really want to help you, lessen your load if you will."

"Look I appreciate it I really do but we've all just kind of settled down into this new way of life and I think that we just need to keep as much normalcy as possible and you steamrolling into their lives isn't the way to do it."

"What if I didn't invade your space, I can keep my distance and you won't know the difference. Let me help you. For now just let me be the lead singer in their crappy band." Kyle said slightly out of breath.

"Ok but the second I feel that you're invading-"

"You'll run me threw with your dagger. I got it blondie you don't have to threaten me again." He laughed falling into pace beside her.

"Well." Delilah began when they got back to the garage. "He's got pipes." She pats Kyle on the shoulder.

"So we should let him sing?" Eric asked.

"You should let him sing." She nodded.

"Ok then." Eric looked slightly dazed the way he always did when Delilah smiled directly at him.

"What was that about?" Simon whispered dawning his guitar.

"Don't worry about it." She kissed his lips for a long moment before drawing back.

"Oook." Simon's brows furrowed.

"Come on Simon." Eric yelled.

But he was still staring at Delilah, "Go." She giggled swatting his butt with her hand effectively shooing him.

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"So do you wanna tell me what you and that Kyle guy were talking about?" Simon said shoving his hands into his pockets as Clary and Scott made their way through Luke's front door.

"He's a werewolf. I'm surprised you didn't smell it on him." Delilah replied, her breath fanning out in front of her mouth in the cool autumn air.

"Did he say what he was doing there?"

"He's from Praetor Lupus."

"And that is?"

"Some sort of organization that's supposed to help newly turned downworlders."

"Like a babysitter?"

"Pretty much." Delilah shrugged. "I don't really know that much about it Kyle could probably explain it better."

"So you mean you didn't scare him away?"

"I tried. But he seems pretty serious about his charge."

"Scott?"

"You."

"Why me?"

"You're the first daylighter in almost a hundred years, you're not part of a clan, you've got the mark of Cain, and you're married to Valentine's oldest daughter. I'd say you're pretty interesting."

"You think?" He cracked a grin.

"Yes." She dimpled, looping an arm through his and leaning into his side. He chuckled kissing the top of her blonde head.

"Does that increase my chances of getting laid tonight?" He murmured against her ear. Before she could make a snide remark a blue van skidded to a halt beside them and a man in a gray track suit swung open the door and began stalking toward them. He was whispering something in a low voice, a language neither of them understood as he pulled a knife from behind his back. "Listen man here's my wallet. Take it really it's fine." Simon grabbed it from his back pocket pushing Delilah behind him instinctively. He continued toward them slowly until the tip of the knife dented into the front of Simon's jacket. Delilah was clutching his arm hard trying to get his attention then suddenly the man was lifted into the air by an invisible hand. The front of his shirt tore open as well as the skin beneath, he was jerking and coughing, blood poured from his mouth and then he was nothing more than shattered glass falling to the ground.

"Holy shit." Delilah exhaled as Simon fell to his knees before the pile. He reached a finger out to touch it, salt, he or rather, the mark turned a man into dust right before their eyes. Simon hung his head and began retching up blood into the gutter. "Simon." His wife placed a hand on his shaking shoulder. "Let's go home." He rose to his feet silently, a blood tinged tear slipped from his eye, he scrubbed it away with the sleeve of his sweater. Delilah opened her mouth as if to speak but Simon just shook his head and she fell silent. Neither dare say a word the entire walk home. When they reached the comfort of the familiar apartment Simon sunk into the chair at the head of the dining room table. "Are you coming to bed?" She asked brushing the side of his face tentatively.

"No." He grabbed her hand bring it to his lips and kissing the palm and then the inside of her wrist. "You go ahead, I'll be there soon." He forced a smile.

"Ok." She nodded padding off toward the bedroom, pausing for a moment at the door frame to look back at him.

"I'm fine." Simon assured her, finally she closed the door leaving him alone with his thoughts. He quickly grabbed the note pad for a second time and began writing. **Simple is only a six letter word, easy enough to spell and easy enough to pronounce. So why is it so hard for anything to actually be simple? Do you remember when the most complicated thing in our lives was school? It seems like a life time ago now, everything has changed, especially us. Love. Love will keep us together. That's what you always used to say, did you just get tired of saying it or did you stop believing it? I wouldn't blame you if you did, it seems kind of ridiculous really, that a four letter word will keep us together. Is that why you were so eager to marry me the second we got back from Idris? Because you thought a piece of paper would keep us together? If loving someone the way I love you can't keep us together there is nothing in this world that will. All great love stories end in tragedy, that's another thing you always use to say, something that you still say. I guess you still believe that, so what do think will happen to us in the end? **

_"Simon please." Delilah panted. "We've been at this for over an hour."_

_"I know." He hummed against the bare skin of her inner thigh. "And you've been doing so well. But you must be getting very uncomfortable." He blew teasingly on her painfully swollen clit._

_"Simon." She tilted her hips upward searching of any kind of contact. Out of all of Simon's 'tutoring lessons' this had been the longest by far and all because she couldn't remember the meaning of one simple word. _

_"I can do this all day." He whispered making his way up her body to her breasts sucking a pink bud into his mouth. "No matter how much you beg you're not getting up from this bed until you tell me the definition of Mitosis."_

_"I don't remember."_

_"Yes you do." _

_"I can't remember."_

_"You can and you will. Think long and hard about it pretty girl." Simon murmured kissing away the frustrated tear that slipped from her eye. She squeezed her eyes shut racking her brain for any sort of logical thought and then suddenly there it was._

_"Mitosis is the process by which a cell, which has previously replicated each of its chromosomes, separates the chromosomes in its cell nucleus into two identical sets of chromosomes, each set in its own new nucleus. It is a form of nuclear division. It is generally followed immediately by cytokinesis, which divides the nuclei, cytoplasm, organelles, and cell membrane into two cells containing roughly equal shares of these cellular components." She blurted out, her brain still on autopilot. She felt Simon smile against the side of her face as he slid two fingers into her using his thumb to rub fast circles on her clit. Her release followed almost immediately, she pulsed around his fingers and whimpered loudly dragging her fingernails over the expanses of his exposed back. When she came down from her high she stared up at him trying to stay angry for what he'd done. Teasing her mercilessly, to the point of insanity all because she got an F on her biology mid-term. _

_"You know I love you right." He chuckled as she shot daggers at him with her eyes. _

_"So you torture me because you love me?" _

_"Yeah, you think I do that to everyone I tutor?"_

_"Maybe." She shrugged._

_"Nope. My special services are all for you baby."_

_She giggled. "Good."_

_"So how'd your math test go?" He asked undoing the button on his jeans and then the zipper before pulling them down. Through his boxers she could see his erection straining against the thin fabric._

_"Amazing actually, thanks to your 'special services' I got an A."_

_"See, like I said my methods may be extreme but they are effective." He grinned._

_"I think you enjoy it a lot more than you've previously let on." She reached into his boxers and grabbed him, wrapping her delicate fingers around his erection and stroking lightly._

_"Of course I enjoy it. How could I not enjoy an hour and a half of you moaning, 'oh Simon?'_

_"First of all my voice sounds nothing like that and second if you want to make me moan there are other ways to do it."_

_"Really?" His voice still held the joking tone but had grown husky as she pushed his boxers down his legs._

_"Mhm but-" She trailed off climbing on top of him, straddling his hips and sinking down on him, letting her head fall back as he filled her. Her blonde locks hung to the small of her back just above her dimples. Simon ran his fingers over the indentions above her round ass affectionately, the ends of her hair brushing his fingertips. He thrust upward ready for her to move on him, his hands moving to clutch her full hips. "Maybe I should torture you now." She grinned devilishly._

_"For what?" He chuckled slightly amused, sliding one hand up her body to cup her breast. Rolling the rosy nipple between his thumb and forefinger._

_"Pay back?" She shrugged. "It's only fair."_

_"Come on Deli." He tugged her nipple none too gently._

_"Fuck." She hissed, her nails biting into the skin of his chest._

_"I swear you have the filthiest mouth." He touched her plump strawberry lips with his index finger. _

_"I thought you liked my filthy mouth."_

_"I-" he shut up when she lifted herself up and then back down on him. She leaned over, peppering his eyes, cheeks, nose and finally mouth with kisses. _

_"How bad do you want me?" She murmured rolling her hips once._

_"So bad." He groaned. They've practically been a couple since they were four. Holding hands, kissing cheeks, saying I love you in that way children do. Puppy love, until they were about 13, then I love you started to mean something different. I'm in love with you. Kisses on the cheek moved to lips and awkward fumbling hands. Then there was kissing other places, necks, chests, stomachs, thighs, and even more intimate places. Eventually this, sex, fucking, making love, doing the dirty. No matter what you called it they were in love. The obsessed kind of love that lead to constant touching and when they weren't together constant texting and calling and constantly thinking about the other when you couldn't do either one. Even still Delilah always tried to keep him on his toes, after all you can only read your favorite book so many times before you lose interest and she was not about to let Simon lose interest in her. She began to ride him at a slow steady pace. "God baby." He swallowed hard his Adam's apple bobbing beneath the skin of his neck. _

_"You like that?" She cocked her head to the side._

_"Yes." At his admission She began rising up and down faster. "I love it. I love you." He grunted meeting her thrust for thrust. _

_"I love-" he cut her off by flipping them over so he was on top looking down at her. "Simon."_

_"You love Simon? Are we talking in third person now?" He nuzzled the side of her flushed face._

_"If you're into that."_

_"I'm into everything you do." He breathed sucking her earlobe into his mouth nibbling the way he knows drives her crazy. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist pulling him closer, inviting him deeper. Letting her eyes wander to where they were joined his gaze followed her's down past the v below his abs a light smattering of hair covered his manhood while she was perfectly clean shaven. He retreated from her almost completely before ramming back inside watching as her body accepted his. "So beautiful." His eyes were focused on her blue ones again as he began driving into her until she was whimpering helplessly grasping at his shoulders and back. _

_"Faster." She demanded arching toward him. He was more than willing to oblige as he felt her begin to tighten around him. "Shit Simon please." She moaned as he brought his lips down to her's. He moved as fast as he could within her. Their teeth clashed together in the sloppy exchange of lips and tongues. Her hands where in his hair tangling it between her fingers, he swallowed her cry of ecstasy as she came pulsing rapidly around him triggering his own release. He panted heavily resting his forehead against her's, beads of sweat mingling together. His lips ghosted across her eyelids which had fallen shut. "You are my girl."_

_"Always." She replied letting her tired legs fall to the bed on either side of his hips._

_He kissed her cheek affectionately trailing his fingers down her side, when the tips found the square birth control patch on her hip he flicked it twice. "I hope you're working." He whispered before pulling out and rolling onto his back beside her, only their hands touching._

_"Now, I need to sleep for at least a year." Her blue eyes fluttered shut._

_"Clary and Scott are waiting for us at Java Jones." He reminded her._

_"Agh." She groaned shooting up into a sitting position and began pulling on her clothes._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_"Where's Clary?" Delilah asked when she and Simon finally reached Scott at the coffee shop._

_"Outside."_

_"Why?" Delilah demanded._

_"I don't know, she was just telling me how this girl was staring at me then she looked behind us at nothing and then she left." Scott shrugged._

_"And you just let her go?"_

_"It seemed like a good idea at the time."_

_"It's probably that guy from the club."_

_"Oh yeah the invisible guy that only you can see I remember him. The one that doesn't exist." Scott taunted._

_"Really? You just had to say something to piss her off?" Simon chastised as Delilah pushed past him and out the door._

_"You know she's losing her mind right? It won't be long before you're calling her your psychotic little bunny, it's ok though I think she's gotten hotter since she went crazy."_

_"She's not crazy she's just-"_

_"Insane?"_

_"Possibly." Simon pinched the bridge of his nose._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_"What the hell is that?" Delilah spat grabbing his left hand where he had some sort of tattoo._

_"It is a rune burned into my skin," Jace replied a bit impatiently._

_"What are you in some kind of cult?" Clary demanded._

_"Not exactly." He half grinned._

_"You know what I don't even care, stay away from my sister do you understand me." Delilah snarled._

_"Or what?"_

_"Excuse me?"_

_"Or what? What are you going to do if I don't leave her alone? Call the cops? Get yourself locked up in a padded cell? You gonna call your big tough boyfriend to come out here and kick my ass? He doesn't even believe in me and even if he did he can't see me on top of that I guarantee he has absolutely no fight training."_

_"And you do?"_

_"Yes actually."_

_"Alright prove it, fight me right here."_

_"Delilah! No!" Clary protested. But Delilah had already stepped around her sister launching herself at Jace. They grappled on the ground for a moment flipping each other over and over fighting for dominance. When Jace finally had the upper hand for more than a second Delilah swung her head forward and hit it hard against his effectively splitting his lip. His paused momentarily as if he wasn't sure if it had really happened; she brought her knee up slamming it hard between his legs. He tumbled off of her and onto the pavement. _

_"Hodge said you might be dangerous." Jace moved swiftly to his feet smoothing down his hair and wiping the blood from his lip._

_"He was right." Clary said._

_"You really think that was dangerous little girl? Fighting dirty and kneeing someone where the sun don't shine?"_

_"I told you to stop calling me little girl."_

_"I'll stop calling you little girl if you agree to come to the institute with me."_

_"No dice, she's not going anywhere with you." Delilah stepped between the two of them._

_"Do you act like this to all the men in your life?"_

_"No." The blonde shrugs. "Just the one's I can't stand."_

_"We can continue our playful banter on the way to the institute." Jace snorted._

_"Are you deaf or something? I said she's not going with you."_

_"Don't worry you're coming too sunshine." Jace muttered. Before anyone could argue Clary's phone began buzzing in her messenger bag. "Go ahead and answer it."_

_"Mom?"_

_"Oh Clary, oh thank god."_

_"I'm alright mom I'm on my way home."_

_"No, listen to me you can't come home, you get your sister and-" There was a loud crashing sound._

_"Mom! Mom! Are you alright?" Clary's frantic voice drew Delilah's attention away from Jace. _

_"Promise me you won't come home. Call Luke tell him that he found me."_

_"Mom who found you?"_

_"I love you Clary." And then the line went dead._

_"Clary?" Jace said her name for the first time. "What's going on?" When she didn't answer he grabbed her wrist. "I can help you." She lashed out at him raking her finger nails down his cheek and took off running. _

_"Clary!" Delilah yelled after her dialing their home number on her phone as she began to run after her sister. She swore when there was no answer then her fingers where moving over the buttons again as she ran blindly after Clary._

_"Delilah?" Simon answered on the first ring._

_"Simon listen to me, I think something happened to my mom."_

_"What? Babe I can barely hear you."_

_"SOMETHING HAPPENED TO MY MOM!" She yelled as her lungs fought for breath forcing her legs to keep moving faster._

_"Where are you?" She could hear rustling on his end and she guessed it was him getting to his feet._

_"Somewhere on fifth street, chasing Clary I think she's going home I don't know."_

_"I'm coming, right now ok? Wait at your house for me." He too took off running toward the apartment not bothering to wait for his brother. _

_"Ok." Delilah panted. "Ok, I'm here."_

_"Don't go in." _

_"I have to go in." She argued._

_"Lilah please." He heard her trudging up the stairs._

_"Oh my god." She breathed._

_"What?"_

_"Somebody-"_

_"Somebody what baby?" His voice was frantic._

_"Somebody was in here."_

_"Clary, where's Clary is she in there with you?"_

_"Yes but my mom's not here."_

_"I'm sure she just-"_

_"No Simon she's gone!" Delilah cut him off. "Somebody came in here and took her and-"_

_"I'm on the stairs I'll see you in two seconds." He hung up the phone shoving it into his back pocket. He drew in a gasp when he seen the living room, all things astray. "You said she's not here. I think we need to call the police."_

_"No I need my mom! You don't understand!"_

_"I do understand." He said cupping her face in his hands delicately tracing the bump on her forehead she's acquired from ramming it against Jace. "You hit your head?"_

_"It doesn't matter," She sighed hearing something behind her. She turned to face the kitchen before backing up against Simon, curling into his chest. "Do you see that?" She breathed into his ear._

_"It's just a dog." He stroked her disheveled blonde hair._

_"That is not a dog." She slowly reached for the lamp on the table beside her and removing the pink lamp shade from it._

_"What are you doing?" Simon grabbed her wrist._

_"Shhh." _

_"What the hell are you doing?" He said again this time louder causing the scaled, disgusting creature to seethe it's way across the floor to the hallway and the bedrooms, one of which Clary was in. She chased after it; she found the creature on top of Clary, speaking in its grotesque voice._

_"Valentine spoke nothing of a second girl, he will never know. He will not be angry."_

_"Hey, you." Delilah spat holding the lamp up high above her head ready to strike when it came toward her._

_"Seraphina Morganstern." It hissed turning toward her. "My how you've grown."_

_"If that's who you're looking for you've got the wrong house, my name is Delilah, Delilah Fray."_

_"I have the right house young Nephilim." Just then Jace rushed past her stabbing a white glowing sword through the demons heart. It shrieked spraying black acidic blood over the three of them. "Ahh." Delilah yelled covering her burning face in her hands. Jace gave Clary a quick once over before turning to her older sister._

_"Did any of that get in your eyes?" He asked pulling her hands away._

_"I think so."_

_"Let me look." He forced her left eye open with his fingers. "Can you see?"_

_"Barely."_

_"Hold out your arm."_

_"No." She pulled away from him._

_"Do you want to be blind?"_

_"No." She thrust her arm toward him indignantly. He swept her sleeve up to her elbow and pulled something long and glowing from his belt._

_"You can trust me. This won't hurt much." He pressed the object to her inner arm it burned but nothing she couldn't handle._

_"Why should I trust you?" _

_"Wait about five minutes. You can thank me then."_

_"For what?"_

_"Saving your lives and your eye." He shrugged. _

_"Why did that demon think my name was Seraphina Morganstern?"_

_"I suppose because Seraphina Morganstern is your given name."_

_"What are you talking about?"_

_"If you come to the institute with me Hodge can explain it to you." He baited her._

_"I'll come with you if-"_

_"If what?" Jace arched an eyebrow._

_"You show my boyfriend I'm not crazy."_

_"Aren't you?"_

_She rolled her eyes. "I guess I'm staying here then, Clary too."_

_"Fine." He drew the glowing tool across his skin again. When he was finished he stepped into the hallway. "Hello."_

_"Hello?" Simon replied blinking a couple times making sure the boy standing before him was really there he hadn't seen him come in._

_"I don't believe we've been properly introduce my name is Jace Wayland, incredibly handsome boy from the club your girlfriend can't stop talking about." He held a hand out._

_"I'm Simon Lewis incredibly stupid and now somewhat jealous boyfriend."_

_"Well as pleasant as this whole exchange was we really must be going." Jace stepped past him._

_"Going?" He caught Delilah's waist. "You can't go with this guy."_

_"He can help me find my mom, I have to go."_

_"Then I'll go with you." Simon argued as Scott appeared in the doorway. _

_"Yes why don't we all go?" Jace snorted sarcastically._

Delilah grabbed her ringing phone off the bed side table. "Hi mom."

"Did I wake you?" Jocelyn asked.

"No."

"It's nearly three in the morning."

"So?"

"I thought you'd be in bed."

"I can't sleep."

"I was going to leave you a quick voicemail reminding you about the dress fitting tomorrow."

"How could I forget?"

"Sometimes newlyweds have trouble keeping track of time. You forget I was young once."

"I don't feel young." Delilah laughed. "Or much like a newlywed for that matter."

"Have you been fighting?"

"No we've just been….I don't know it's just never felt this way before. We used to do everything together, tell each other everything, now sometimes when we're together its awkward and I feel like I don't know him. And I can't help but wondering what happened to that happy go lucky boy with the glasses that never quite fit his face right, what happened to that boy that chased me around the apple trees at Luke's farm house, what happened to that boy who took me on picnics in the park? The one who kissed me in the middle of Times Square on New Year's, the one who lived to see me smile, the boy who was so in love with me. What happened to him?"

"He grew up."

:"I wasn't ready for him to."

"Sweetheart," She sighed. "Growing up doesn't always mean growing apart. Don't you think he ever feels the way you do? Maybe sometimes he wonders what happened to the girl with the ribbons in her hair, the one he chased around the apple tree, the girl who he took on picnics and kissed in Time Square, the one who was always smiling. The one he was so in love with. Because she grew up too. Maybe he wasn't ready for that."

"What do I do now?"

"Get to know the new Simon, talk, spend time together, take him on a date, and be glad that you get to fall in love all over again. Remember who you were but don't ignore the incredible people you've both become."

"What if he doesn't think I'm incredible?"

"He does, anyone can tell just by the way he looks at you. Like you put all the stars up in the sky."

"I love him, so much that the idea of not being with him is unthinkable."

"Everything will work itself out."

"How do you know?"

"I just know you. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight mom. I love you."

"I love you too baby." And then her comforting voice was gone leaving Delilah staring silently at the ceiling. Simon was still in the dining room, she'd wanted to go to him for hours now, to comfort him somehow but what if he asked her to leave him alone. Her heart would shatter into a million tiny pieces so she wouldn't risk it. If he wanted her he would have to come to her, eventually he did. Easing the door open as if not to wake her.

"You're up." He said closing the door behind him and sauntering across the room.

"I was waiting for you."

"You didn't have to, you look tired."

"I needed to know you were ok."

"I'm alright." He pulled off his clothes and slipped on a pair of pajama pants and a tee shirt.

"I want to take you on a date tomorrow before the dress fitting,"

"A date?" He sides of his mouth pulled up in a smirk. "What's the occasion?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "Do we need one?"

"No." He took her hands in his so they were facing each other sitting up in the king sized bed.

"Tell me what you're thinking."

"I'm thinking that I love you, I'm incredibly lucky to know you let alone be loved by you. I'm wondering why you're acting all weird and jittery and why you look like you're about to cry. I'm also wondering if what you saw earlier made you afraid of me, wondering if you still want to be with me. Thinking of all the places I want to go with you all the things I want to see with you. Wishing there was another way for us to be together without making you like me. But most of all I'm hoping that if I kiss you right now you won't pull away from me."

"I won't pull away." She breathed as he leaned in. It was a slow gentle kiss. "I want to know you." She murmured against his lips.

"You already know me." He pulled away stroking her cheek. "Better than anyone else in the world."


	3. Chapter 3

"Wake up." Simon whispered low in Delilah's ear.

"No go away it's too early." She croaked.

"It's ten thirty come on get up and get ready. The sun is shining the birds are chirping." He pulled open the blackout curtains and sunlight filled the room. Delilah hissed throwing her arm over her eyes. "Sometimes I think you're the vampire." He chuckled.

"Fuck you." She snapped.

"Maybe later now let's go I'm taking you out."

"Argh." She groaned.

"Hey this date was your idea now come on I'm serious."

"Simon." She whined.

"Don't make me give you a wedgie, you know I will." He threatened.

"Fine." She huffed throwing back the covers and stomping off toward the bathroom.

.

.

.

.

"You still haven't told me where you're taking me yet." Delilah reminded him pulling on her light brown high heel boots and matching leather jacket.

"I'll give you a hint. Some say it's the most magical place on earth." Simon grabbed the car keys off the table.

"Disney World?"

"Fine, let me rephrase that. I'm taking you to the most magical place in Brooklyn." He amended.

"You're taking me to Coney Island!" Delilah's eyes grew to three times their normal size.

"Maybe." He smirked.

"Well then let's go!" She grabbed his hand pulling him behind her out the door.

.

.

.

.

"So what should we do first?" Simon flung an arm over Delilah's shoulder.

"We could ice skate and then the Farris wheel; we have to go on the Cyclone just to relive the time that you peed your pants and threw up at the same time."

"I was seven." He rolls his eyes. "You're never going to forget that are you?"

"That's one of my favorite memories of you."

"What about the tea cups?" He inquires.

"Of course. I remember this one time I came here with Luke, I was so mad at my mom and now I can't even remember why. He said that we could stay until I wasn't mad anymore. That was the first time I ever called him dad, he smiled so wide I thought his face would crack in half. Then he asked me why I called him dad and I said a dad is someone who loves you and takes care of you, teaches you what's right from wrong, and really good dads bring you to the tea cups at Coney Island when you're mad at your mom."

.

.

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.

"Oh my god." Delilah stumbled away from the teacups her vision still spinning.

"Dizzy." Simon laughed.

"Yes. I don't think I've ever been spun that fast."

"Yeah it's all in the arms." He flexed his biceps beneath his jacket. She snorted nearly toppling over. "Hop on my back." He leaded down slightly and she jumped on wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. His own arms locking beneath her knees just like when they were younger. "Do you want anything? Cotton candy, popcorn, fried Oreos, funnel cake, candy apple?" He asked as they passed the food kiosks.

"Ooh cotton candy." She flailed her legs impatiently.

"Ok." He smirked. He sat her at the umbrella table, returning with a stick full of pink fluff. "If you could have anything in the world what would it be?"

"You." She answered simply.

"Something you don't have."

"Right now?" She smiled.

"Mhm." He nodded.

"That bear." She pointed behind Simon's head at a large pink teddy bear that had to be almost her size at one if the carnival games.

"Done." He replied confidently.

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.

.

"You know I think using your new vampire abilities was cheating." Delilah teased shoving the huge bear into the back seat of the car and buckling it in as if it were a person.

"I didn't hear you complaining when the ring landed on the bottle." Simon remarked climbing into the driver's seat.

"I wasn't going to rat you out." Delilah buckled her own seat belt.

"Well thank you." He smiled putting the car into reverse and exiting the parking lot back onto the main road.

"You know you still didn't tell me what happened when those two creepy guys took you to see Raphael." Delilah begins toying with the radio. She still thinks I met with Raphael, she doesn't know about Camille and she doesn't need to. All it will do is make her worry Simon thought quickly.

"Oh you know just vampire politics it would probably bore you to death."

"I do hate politics." She sighed. "But if it was something else, something important you would tell me right?"

"Of course." He lied, feeling his insides churn. This was the first lie he'd ever told his wife and he had a feeling it wouldn't be the last.

"Ok." She let the subject die when he reached across the consul and took her hand. Bringing it to his lips he kissed the back of it.

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"So," Clary said stepping out of the dressing room. "What do you think?" She joined Delilah in front of the large full length mirror of the bridal shop.

"I think it looks pretty on you." Delilah answered. "But I'm just afraid my ass might split the back open if I move around too much and the boobies." She leaned over experimentally as if to pick something up and her breasts spilled over the top of the dress. "I don't know I might be safe I just don't wanna flash everyone at the wedding."

"You look beautiful." Simon blurted.

"You look good." Scott agreed only half paying looking at his brother's wife and more at Clary. She looked more than good in the simple silver coppery dress.

"Good?" Clary repeated as if it were an insult.

"They're only boys." Delilah rolled her eyes. "If you want a real honest opinion you ask a girl. Maia, what do you think?"

Maia was standing beside Scott playing his D.S. "Don't ask me I hate dresses I would wear jeans to the wedding if I could." The shop bell tinkled and Jocelyn and Luke stepped in.

"Mom." Delilah began lifting her hair off her neck. "Honest opinion. Am I going to bust out of this dress?" The shop owner eagerly joined them now that the people paying for the dresses had arrived.

"Let me see." Jocelyn stepped in between her daughter tugging lightly at the top of Delilah's dress. "Maybe we could raise the bust line a little more just to make sure and let the seams out around the hips a bit."

"We most certainly could." Said the woman who had just emerged from behind the counter.

"Alright." Delilah agreed as her mother patted her cheek affectionately.

"Everything will be perfect. Both of my girls." She touched both of their heads gingerly. "You look absolutely gorgeous." Jocelyn mused.

"I brought you a message from the pack." Maia said inclining her head toward Luke. "They have a question about the party at the iron works." The two wolves seemed to trail away from the rest of the group.

"I just got your dress, back." Said Karen, the shop owner. "Come, I want to see you in it. It looks absolutely marvelous." She gushed. Their mother following the woman into the dressing room.

"You stay out here." The owner said to Luke.

"But Jocelyn wanted my opinion on the dress."

"You're not supposed to see the bride in their dress before the wedding Luke." Clary said. "It's bad luck."

"What about shadow hunter weddings. Do you they have their own customs?" Maia wondered.

"They do." Luke replied, "but this isn't going to be a traditional shadow hunter ceremony."

Delilah sunk down slowly into Simon's lap silently praying the zipper would hold and when it did she let out a sigh of relief.

"Those don't address situations when one of the participants isn't a shadowhunter." Luke continued.

"Really?"

"Part of a shadow hunter ceremony involves tracing permanent runes on the bodies of the participants." His eyes looked sad. "Runes of love and commitment. But non shadowhunters can't bare the angel's runes so Jocelyn and I will be exchanging rings instead."

"That sucks." Maia replied.

"Rings work pretty well too." Simon pinched Delilah's cheek lovingly.

"I don't doubt that." Luke grinned. "And marrying Jocelyn is all I ever wanted, I'm not that bothered by the particulars. Besides things are changing with the clave, they're making a lot of headway towards tolerating this sort of thing."

"Girls." Jocelyn called from the back of the store. "Can you come here for a second?"

"Coming." They called in unison before rushing off to the back to join their mother. Delilah first but Clary paused to watch as Maia kissed Scott quickly and then left.

"Figure it out before next Saturday. I mean it either you tell them or I will." Clary marched away after her sister.

"Oh," Simon hissed. "Better sort it out dude or this will end badly, I told you big brothers know these things."

"You don't know anything about 'these things' you Delilahsexual freak." Scott spat at his brother crossing his arms over his chest the way he had since they were young.

"Clearly there's something going on that I don't know about." Luke shook his head.

"Sometimes I think that's the motto of my life." Simon replied.

"Did something happen between you and-"

"We're fine." Simon cut him off. "I mean we still love each other and we're gonna work it out but...I'm just not entirely sure what's going in on with us right now. She's just been acting so..."

"She thinks you're being shady, those are her words, not mine." Scott interjects and the words hang in the air for a moment before anyone speaks.

"Have you heard of a vampire named Camille?" Simon asked Luke.

Luke makes a low whistling sound. "I've heard of her."

"She's head of the New York vampire Clan."

"I also know she's quite old, cruel and cunning. She could probably give the fair folk a run for their money."

"Have you seen her?" Simon wondered.

"I don't think I have no, why the curiosity?" Luke wondered.

"Raphael mentioned it."

"You've seen Raphael lately?"

Before Simon could answer the shop door opened and Jace came in. "Is Clary here?" He asks closing the door behind him. He looked tired and Simon imagined he must be cold without a jacket.

"She's in the back helping Jocelyn but you can wait here for her."

Jace looked around uneasily. "Everything is so white."

"Of course it's white." Scott laughed. "It's a wedding."

"For shadohunters white is the color for funerals." Luke explained. "But in mundane weddings the brides wear white symbolize their purity."

"I thought Jocelyn's dress wasn't white?"

"Well." Jace said. "I suppose that ship has sailed."

Luke chocked on his coffee. Before anyone could say anything else Clary and Delilah walked back into the room. Delilah in her own clothes but Clary still in the dress and her hair pinned up elegantly.

"I don't know, Karen got her hands on me and did my hair but I don't know about the sparkles." Clary said approaching them, she broke off when she saw Jace. For a moment they just stared at each other.

"You look beautiful." Jace finally spoke.

"Jace, is everything alright I thought you said you couldn't come because of the Conclave meeting," Clary stammered.

"That's right." Luke chimed in. "I heard about the shadowhunter in the park, was there any news?"

"No." Jace shook his head. "He's not one of the New York Conclave members but other than that he hasn't been identified. Neither one has, the silent brothers are looking at them now."

"Jace." Clary took a step toward him and he tore his gaze away from her.

"The jacket you borrowed from me in the park yesterday." He began. "Do you still have it?"

Clary pointed to it. "It's over there. I was going to bring it to you after."

"Well." He shrugged it on, "now you don't have to."

"We're going to get an early dinner; you're welcome to come along." Luke offered.

"I've got training this afternoon I better head out." Jace declined zipping up the jacket.

"Training?" Clary echoed. "But we trained yesterday."

"Some of us have to train everyday Clary." She blushed at his stern tone. "I'll see you later." He added quickly exiting the shop. As the door shut Clary reached up and tore the pins from her hair it cascaded in tangles around her shoulders.

"Clary." Delilah rushed to her side. "What are you doing?"

"My hair, I hate my hair." She said quickly willing herself not to cry. "It looks stupid I don't want to wear it like this."

"Ok." Delilah smiled trying to comfort her. "We could do it real pretty, half up half down or maybe all down if you wanted."

"Yeah," Clary sighed.

"Weddings make men nervous. It doesn't mean anything." Luke said taking the pins from her.

"Right." Clary forced a smile, Delilah soothed her hair affectionately and though they looked nothing alike in that moment it was clear they were sisters.

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By the time they reached the fifth avenue diner the six of them had fallen into an uncomfortable silence Jocelyn and Luke leading them followed by Delilah and Simon then Clary and Scott bringing up the rear. They got a booth near the back and Jocelyn and Luke began talking animatedly about wedding plans. Simon and Delilah sat close but never touched as if an invisible wall stood between them. The blonde twirling the diamond ring on her left finger around and around worrying and agitating the skin underneath. Simon set his menu on the table and stared out the window behind her head. This should feel natural and happy he thought, this should feel safe and full of love but instead it felt cold and forced. He then realized that Jocelyn had just asked him a question and everyone in turn was looking at him.

"I'm sorry." he smiled. "What did you say?"

"I asked how you two are liking the new apartment."

"It's great." Simon answered too quickly.

"Well I'm glad you're enjoying it." She snuck a quick glance at her daughter who smiled in return absently reaching for Simon's hand under the table. He squeezed it reassuringly as if to so it's ok, we're ok. Delilah was still looking at him with an expression of unease. They'd never really been in a 'rough patch' before; they hardly ever fought because they never kept secrets but now everything was kept secret and locked away from the other.

Simon leaned in close to her ear. "You are my girl." He whispered his lips ghosting across her cheek.

"Are you listening to this?" Clary said popping the little bubble they'd created where only the two of them existed.

"Now I am." Delilah replied looking up at the News on the t.v. screen. "No one has yet to claim the infant that was abandoned earlier this week by the Beth Israel hospital. The infant is a white male and was found strapped in an infant car seat. The most disturbing detail was the note found tucked in the blanket begging the hospital to euthanize the child because 'I don't have the strength to do it myself.' Police say likely the child's mother was mentally ill and claim they have promising leads. Anyone with information should call crime solvers at-"

"That's so horrible." Clary turned away from the tv. "I can't understand how people just throw their babies away like they're trash."

"Jocelyn." Luke said looking at her worriedly she was white as a sheet as she pushed her plate away and ran off to the bathroom.

"Mom!" Delilah called after her maneuvering herself somewhat awkwardly over Simon before he had the chance to move and running after her mother. When she reached the bathroom she could hear her mother retching in one of the stalls. "Mom." She knocked on the door softly.

"Go back to dinner sweetheart." Her mother croaked. "I'm alright."

"No." She paused. "You're not."

"Delilah please." She paused with a shuttering breath. "I want to be alone."

"I know what you're thinking and that's not what Clary meant that was different with Jonathan-" Delilah paused as Luke shoved open the door and entered the Women's restroom.

"Jocie, open up." Luke insisted.

"I don't want her to see me like this."

"Mom," Delilah argued.

"Go back to dinner." Luke insisted.

"But I-"

"Sweetheart please." His tone was apologetic.

Delilah sighed pushing past him and out the door. She wanted to cry, she wanted to scream, she wanted to claw her own eyes out just so she wouldn't have to see anyone else she loved get hurt. Without thinking she ran through the restaurant past the table and out the door and she didn't stop running.

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After exhausting all places Simon thought his wife might be he found himself walking, somewhat aimlessly around the streets of Manhattan his iPod blaring in his ears. I understand wanting to run away but I wish I was the person you were running to, not one of the things you were running from Simon thought looking down at his arm to the rune Clary had drawn there, the one that matched Delilah's. Anima Gemella, she had called it. Italian for twin souls, soul mates. It would lead me straight to her if I wanted it to, it would allow her to speak to me telepathically if she wanted to but right now she didn't want to. So he wouldn't follow her if she didn't want him to. Soon enough he found himself sitting on one of the benches in the park pulling his phone from his pocket, he wasn't ready to go home and face the empty apartment with all of her things in it. Their things, so in lack of paper her decided writing an email to himself would have to suffice. **I remember crawling out of the ground and all I could think was that I had to get out, I had to get back to you and when I finally did get out and I saw you standing there. I thought surely this must be hell because I was so thirsty then I thought please God, just let me hold her one last time. That's all I'd meant to do, hold you but before I could stop myself I was on top of you. Biting you, drinking from you. You tasted like sunlight, but there was something else there too, almost bitter at the same time sweet like cotton candy. I remember the sound of your voice and the way you ran your fingers through my hair to the curls at the back of my neck. I can't imagine what you must have been thinking but you never lifted a hand to stop me. "It's ok Simon." You whispered so sweetly. "I love you." And I realized then that I was going to kill you and you were going to let me, because you loved me that much. I never wished I were dead until that moment, I threw myself off you and over to Raphael retching until I thought your blood was completely out of my system. Then I remember the animal blood he gave me, it tasted terrible after I knew what your blood tasted like it never could satisfy me. There's nothing in this world as sweet as the taste of your blood, nothing I'd tasted in my human life or in my time as a vampire. When we got back to Luke's you didn't say a word, didn't make a sound you just took my hand and led me to the bathroom. Closing the door behind us you turned on the shower, making sure it was just the right temperature. Stripping off my dirty blood stained clothes and then your own before taking my hand again and pulling my under the steady spray of the shower head. You washed my hair until it was perfectly clean and unmated then my body until the water ran clear. Even with you standing there completely naked I never looked away from your face because in all the years I'd known you that was the first time you'd ever worn that particular expression. You looked so heart broken, I guess that was the first time I ever let you down. I wished I were dead again. You leaned up on your toes and kissed me but I couldn't kiss you back, I pushed you away. That's when you started crying, "Please Simon, don't be mad. I couldn't let you go, I had to bury you. I needed you to come back. I'm so selfish but I need you, please don't hate me." You were begging me like you were the one who had bitten me. You thought I hated you, that I didn't love you or want you anymore. Silly girl there's nothing in this world you could have done to make me stop loving you.**

**"I don't hate you." I chuckled darkly.**

**"Then why? Why won't you kiss me?"**

**"Because I don't deserve you."**

**"Yes you do." You argued and you sounded so sincere that I almost believed you. I reached up and cupped your cheek bringing your lips back to mine. I put my hand behind your head so it wouldn't hit the wall when I slammed you against it. I felt you pawing, clawing at my back as you wrapped your soft legs around my waist. Your warm hand was between us guiding me inside you, then you sighed so contently as if you had been holding your breath underwater for a long time and you could finally breathe again. I didn't move at first because the feeling of you was almost too much after I was sure I'd lost you forever. You were crying the entire time, crying so hard, harder than I'd ever heard you cry. I thought that someone might have busted down the door to see if I was hurting you but no one ever came. However you did, cum that is, pulsing tightly around me. "Come on Simon, cum for me. I want you to, please," and I did, making a truly tortured sound because I didn't want to. I wanted to deny myself that at least, some form of punishment for what I had done to you. When I finally set you back on your feet we toweled off and without bothering to put our clothes on you took me the bedroom locking the door and pulling the blinds shut. Even going as far as asking me to put the wardrobe in front of the window before letting me lie down with you. And we made love all night. Taking breaks in between but I never left you even when I grew soft and then hard again. Even as we talked and then said nothing. When I looked over at the clock on the night stand and saw that it was nearly seven a.m. I knew you'd have to be sore at the very least, we'd been going at it like rabbits for almost eight hours but you looked so peaceful. **

**"Sleep with me." I whispered kissing the dark circles under your eyes.**

**"I just did." You laughed and then yawned.**

**"Close your eyes." I finally pulled out of you and your breathing grew fast and panicked. "It's alright." I soothed trailing kisses over your cheeks, forehead, and jaw pulling the blanket at the bottom of the bed over both of us. Curling around your back and pressing my front against it was tightly as I could but you wouldn't relax, not for a long time and so I talked to you until you fell asleep, dumb stuff mostly like about raids that I was planning in my video game, things that were happening in my manga, and favorite indie bands songs. Normally you would have told me to shut up and that I was boring you to death but not then. **

"Simon." Her voice tinkled in his head.

"Yes?" His response was immediate.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"Where are you?"

"Where are you?" He echoed her question.

"At home watching my fingers prune in the bathtub."

"Sexy."

"If you hurry I might still be wrinkly by the time you get here."

"On my way."

"One more thing."

"Hmm?"

"Why didn't you just tell me about Camille?"

"How do you know about-"

"Did you really think that if someone was trying to get into your head they wouldn't try to use me to do it? She asked me to meet her tonight and after you lied to me on the way home from our lovely date I decided to go. It was quite interesting actually, she's very pretty."

"Are you angry?"

"Angry about you meeting with her or angry that you lied about it?"

"Both "

"No and yes."

"I'm sorry."

"We all have secrets."

"You don't."

"Don't I?"

"I didn't think so."

"Nothing to worry your handsome head over."

"Delilah-"

"Oh relax specs I was kidding."

"Ok."

"I'll see you soon."

"I love you."

"I love you too." And then she was gone. It was only then he realized someone was following him, he turned around to find two men wearing those same gray track suits as the mugger from the other night. Simon leaped back perching himself on the steps several feet away from the muggers and froze, his vampire strength still surprising him. The muggers advance on him speaking the same unfamiliar language as the other man. It suddenly dawned on him that he probably hadn't been a mugger at all, muggers don't travel in packs. They continued toward him.

"Look I don't know what this is about but you really want to leave me alone." Simon held up both hands. "I'm getting the feeling someone sent you after me But it's a suicide mission, I don't know what they're paying you but it's not enough." One of the men laughed. The other drew out a gun. "You really don't want to do that I'm not kidding." Then something black fell from the sky, that thing was a person falling with direction, purpose, and grace. They landed on the mugger and the gun flew from his hand. The second man bent to pick it up aimed it at Simon and pulled the trigger, the gun blew apart and the man along with it before he even had a chance to scream. He had intended a quick death for Simon and had received an even quicker death in return. Simon sank down on the steps watching the grains of salt fall to the ground and then someone grabbed him hard by the wrist and began shaking him.

"Simon. Simon." He looked up, it was Jace. "What the hell was that?"

"You jumped the muggers?" Simon asked groggily.

"They weren't muggers. They've been following you since you left the library. Someone sent those guys."

The library, the last place he'd looked for Delilah before coming here. Delilah, his brain was functioning properly again. "I have to go."

"Wait! What happened to the mugger that was because of you, because of your mark? I've seen a lot but I've never seen anything like that." Jace called after him.

"I didn't do it. I didn't do anything." Simon replied softly.

"You didn't have to."


End file.
